The invention relates to a device for capturing operating data of a tool, and to a system having such a device and a tool.
The invention is based on the object of providing a device for capturing operating data of a tool, and a system, it being possible, by means of said device and system, to capture operating data reliably and cost-effectively, in particular over different types of appliances.
The invention achieves this object by way of a device for capturing operating data of a tool wherein the tool is powered by an electric motor or a combustion engine, and wherein the device is embodied separately from the tool and is able to be coupled to the tool. The device comprises: a sensor, which is configured to wirelessly capture at least one measured variable, wherein the measured variable is dependent on an operating state of the tool; an evaluation unit coupled to the sensor, said evaluation unit being configured to evaluate the measured variable captured by the sensor in order to determine the operating data therefrom; an operating data memory, which is configured to store the operating data; and a communication interface, which is configured to wirelessly transmit operating data stored in the operating data memory to a terminal device. The invention also achieves this object by a system including such a device and tool.
The device is intended or configured to capture operating data of a tool.
The tool is powered by means of an electric motor and/or by means of a combustion engine. The device is provided separately from the tool and is able to be coupled to the tool, for example mechanically. The device can for example be mechanically coupled releasably to the tool, for example by being screwed to the tool, adhesively bonded to a suitable location on the tool, coupled to the device by means of a latching connection, or inserted into or fitted in a chamber provided for this purpose.
The device for capturing operating data of a tool comprises a sensor, which is configured to capture at least one physical measured variable wirelessly, i.e. without a galvanic connection to components of the tool, wherein the measured variable is dependent on an operating state of the tool.
The device furthermore comprises an evaluation unit coupled to the sensor, said evaluation unit being for example in the form of a microcontroller. The evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the measured variable captured by means of the sensor in order to determine or derive the operating data therefrom.
The device furthermore comprises an operating data memory, which is configured to store the operating data.
The device furthermore comprises a communication interface, for example in the form of a WLAN interface or a Bluetooth interface, which is configured to wirelessly transmit or send operating data to a terminal device. The communication interface may be configured to send the operating data wirelessly, irrespective of whether a terminal device is in range or not.
The terminal device may, for example on the basis of the operating data received, evaluate the operating data and display said operating data in an optically conditioned form for example to a user.
In one embodiment, the sensor is configured such that it is capable of capturing the measured variable irrespective of whether the tool is powered by means of an electric motor or a combustion engine. According to the invention, it is consequently possible for measured variables and thus also operating data, for example in the form of operating hours, to be captured with one and the same device for a plurality of drive technologies, for example combustion-engine powered, wired, rechargeable-battery-based drive technologies, without a wired connection to the tool being necessary.
In one embodiment, the evaluation unit is configured to determine operating data in the form of an operating time of the tool, during which the electric motor or the combustion engine is active. In other words, the sensor serves, in conjunction with the evaluation unit, to capture operating hours of the tool. It goes without saying that, in addition to operating hours, the operating data can also be other data relevant to tool operation, for example drive temperatures, drive power outputs, load data, tool-user-related data, states of charge and/or voltage states of an energy store, sites of operation, etc.
In one embodiment, the sensor is an inductive sensor, for example a coil. The evaluation unit is then configured to evaluate signals generated by means of the inductive sensor in order to determine the operating data.
By means of the inductive sensor it is possible, for example, to detect changing electromagnetic and/or magnetic fields, caused for example by stray fields of electric motors, ignition pulses of combustion engines, current changes, moving magnets in a flywheel of the tool, of a generator, etc. In this way, the operating data, in particular in the form of operating hours of the tool, may be captured reliably and irrespective of a drive type of the tool, since the changing electromagnetic and/or magnetic fields arise only during the operation of the tool. The evaluation unit can evaluate for example a rate of change of the electromagnetic field and compare it with a reference value, wherein, if the rate of change of the electromagnetic field is greater than the reference value, the operating time or an operating hours counter is increased accordingly.
Alternatively or in addition, the sensor can be an acoustic sensor, wherein the evaluation unit is coupled to the acoustic sensor and is configured to evaluate signals generated by means of the acoustic sensor in order to determine the operating data.
In one embodiment, the device comprises an electrical energy store, for example in the form of a battery, in particular in the form of a button cell. Furthermore, the device comprises electrical, resilient contact elements which are configured to make electrical contact with corresponding electrical contacts, in particular contact surfaces, of the electrical energy store. Furthermore, the device comprises a housing, made for example of plastics material, which can have an open and a closed state. In the open state of the housing, the electrical energy store is removable from the housing or insertable into the housing. The housing is shaped in a manner corresponding to the electrical energy store such that the electrical energy store is held in position by means of the housing and not by means of the electrical contact elements in the closed state of the housing. In the closed state of the housing, the resilient contact elements are pushed, on account of their spring tension, against the corresponding contacts or contact surfaces, in order to make electrical contact with a low transfer resistance. However, in this case, the spring tension serves only for optimized electrical contact, but not for mechanically fixing the electrical energy store in the housing. In other words, on account of its shaping, the housing takes on the function of fixing the electrical energy store and the resilient contact elements take on the function of making electrical contact. The contact elements can extend out of the housing in order to be electrically connected there to corresponding connections, for example on a circuit board.
The housing can have a plastics trough for receiving the energy store, the electrical contact elements passing out through said plastics trough. The housing can have a cover that is placeable on the plastics trough. The housing can realize a particular protection class.
In one embodiment, the operating data memory is a volatile memory, for example a RAM (random access memory). The device can furthermore comprise a non-volatile memory, for example a FLASH memory. The device can capture the operating data periodically with a repetition frequency or sampling rate, for example 1 Hz, and store said data in the operating data memory at the repetition frequency. The storing in the operating data memory can take place under the condition that the operating data have changed, i.e. in the case of unchanged operating data, as are typical with an inactive tool, storing in the operating data memory can be dispensed with. The device can be configured to store the operating data in the non-volatile memory once the operating data have changed by more than a given threshold value.
For operating data in the form of an operating time or operating hours of the tool, it is possible, for example, for the captured operating hours to be stored periodically at the repetition frequency or sampling rate in the operating data memory, for example in a memory cell, provided for this purpose, of the operating data memory, if said data have changed by any value greater than zero. Only when the captured operating hours have changed by more than the given threshold value, for example 1 minute, are the captured operating hours stored, in a correspondingly updated form, in the non-volatile memory, in order, for example in the event of a battery change, not to lose the last captured value or to cause only a small measurement error. This procedure saves energy and considerably increases the run time of an electrical energy store, or a battery, which supplies the device with operating energy, since storing in the volatile memory requires much less energy than storing in the non-volatile memory.
In one embodiment, the communication interface can be configured to wirelessly transmit the operating data continuously to the terminal device. For example, the communication interface can be configured to wirelessly transmit the operating data unrequested to the terminal device after a particular number n (n=1, 2, . . . ) of operations of capturing or sampling the operating data, in order, for example, to allow the device to be located by means of a terminal device. A fixed or variable time interval can be used for transmitting or sending.
The system according to the invention comprises an above-described device and a tool, which is powered by means of an electric motor or a combustion engine.
The electric motor can be a universal motor, or a brushed direct current (DC) motor, or a brushless DC motor, or a three-phase alternating current motor.
The tool may be a motor saw, a hedge trimmer, a leaf blower, a leaf vacuum, a lawnmower, a brush cutter, or a comparable tool, in particular for landscape maintenance. The tool may, for example, furthermore be a cordless screwdriver or a food processor, etc.
The system can comprise a terminal device. The terminal device can be any data-processing device which comprises a suitable wireless interface which is configured for wireless communication with the communication interface of the device for capturing operating data.
The terminal device can be a mobile terminal device, for example a mobile telephone or a tablet. The terminal device may also be stationary. For example, the terminal device may form or be a gateway which forwards the operating data received to a server, for example to what is known as a cloud memory, which stores the operating data. The operating data stored in the cloud memory may then be viewed and evaluated by means of a suitable tool, for example by means of a web browser.
The device can be inserted into a corresponding receptacle in a type plate of the tool. Frequently, motor-powered tools have uniform type plates across entire series, and so a uniform, easily retrofittable solution can be provided by means of fitting the device for capturing operating data in the type plate of the tool, without it being necessary to define an attachment site for each new tool type. Mechanical decoupling between the device and tool can be effected by means of soft components (dampers), foam-like potting compound, etc. The device, or the housing thereof, can alternatively be adhesively bonded to the tool.
The above-described device with all or some of its properties can be intended to be able to be used with the tool, which is powered by means of an electric motor and/or by means of a combustion engine, to capture operating data of the tool. In other words: use of the device for capturing operating data of the tool which is powered by means of an electric motor and/or by means of a combustion engine.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings